1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to lawn care equipment and more particularly to attachments for powered lawnmowers.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Lawnmowers have been used for many years to cut grass at residences, businesses, and sports fields. In humid climates grass is often wet with dew until late morning. Grass also becomes wet due to sprinklers or rain. Cutting wet grass causes many problems for the grass and for the mower.
When grass is cut while wet, the mower blades tend to tear the grass blades instead of providing clean cuts. This not only results in uneven grass length, but leads to fungal problems and disease for the grass.
Another problem of cutting wet grass is that wet grass makes a lawnmower work harder, which requires the operator to drive the lawnmower at a slower speed over the grass. An additional problem is that clippings from wet grass clog the mower deck and discharge chutes. As a result, the mower operator spends significant amounts of time unclogging grass from lawnmower blades and underside of the mower deck in addition to cleaning wet grass from the outside of the mower after use. Further, wet grass tends to clump and leave unsightly piles of cut grass on the lawn.
One approach to cutting wet grass has been to ignore the problem. For lawn crews, waiting for the grass to dry means waiting to work. For a lawn crew that cuts twenty or more lawns in one day, waiting until late morning to start work means being able to cut fewer lawns before daylight runs out.
For those who do not ignore it, the problem of wet grass has been approached using a variety of methods. One solution is to wait until the grass is dry before cutting. Another solution to the problem of wet grass has been to use a leaf blower to remove water from the grass. Similarly, another solution has been to use a corn broom or the like to manually sweep the lawn to remove water from the grass prior to mowing.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,574,819 to Ratcliffe discloses a method and apparatus for removing dew from grass, such as golf courses. The '819 patent discloses a plurality of beaded lines that have weights disposed within a synthetic rope sheath. Ends of the rope are attached to one or two separate lawn tractors. Dew is removed by attaching the rope-like device to one or more lawn tractors and dragging the device across grassy areas.
International published patent application no. WO 2003/094597 to Johann Fimbinger GmbH discloses another method and apparatus for removing dew from grass, especially putting greens of golf courses. The '597 application discloses a hand-operated apparatus having groups of rollers disposed in parallel rows and that have the ability to rotate freely about longitudinal axes. Two handles extend up from the rollers and are attached to the rollers in an articulated manner. The operator uses two handles to push the rollers over the grass with a motion similar to that used for a large floor sweeper.